US hopes Modi would move away from Hindutva agenda

The United States, yesterday showered praises on Indian democracy and the peaceful conclusion of the largest poll exercises the world has seen. President Barack Obama has released a statement and expressed confidence that the new government would pave way for new level relations with US.

“We look forward to the formation of a new government once election results are announced and to working closely with India’s next administration to make the coming years equally transformative, India has set an example for the world in holding the largest democratic election in history, a vibrant demonstration of our shared values of diversity and freedom.” said Obama yesterday in a congratulatory message.

The US State department, that has imposed ban on Modi’s travel to the US has also released a statement and said that they are ready to work towards improving this “important friendship” by setting up an “ambitious agenda.”

But the biggest worry for US is to find persons who can improve relations between Modi and US. The US had been critical of his extreme rightist agenda since long, and since they have banned him for so long, they are searching for people who knew him better and who could influence him to improve ties with US.

Analyst and former US State Department official Walter Andersen, who had written books on RSS, who knew Modi in his earlier days, is saying that “I don’t think he is going to ignore US., but this is not what his focus is going to be, But if I had to make a guess as to the first country he will visit, it will be Japan.” American political theorists and analysts Susan and Lloyd Rudolph have said, suggesting a hope that any group that comes to power in a country as socially complex as India has to move toward the ideological center; if it does not, it will not come to power or stay in power. Andersen quoted these observations and said that Modi would be more interested in development that the Hindutva agenda.

Modi is “pragmatic rather than a Sangh Parivar ideologue, despite his RSS history,” described another official who met Modi during his US visit.